Sophia Smith is challenging Alex Morgan for the NWSL's Golden Boot, and in the process she has out the Thorns in pole position for the NWSL Shield. Dunn could be back on the field before season's end, too. They also did just fine without their international players (due to the CONCACAF W Championship) from late June into July, including 6-0 and 5-0 thrashings of Orlando and NJ/NY Gotham FC, respectively.Ĭhristine Sinclair and Raquel "Rocky" Rodriguez remain fixtures in the center of the park, and the additions of Japan international Hina Sugita and rookie Sam Coffey quickly answered any questions in midfield after Lindsey Horan went on loan to Lyon and Crystal Dunn missed most of the season to give birth to her son in May. Portland started the year in a 3-5-2 before shifting into more traditional four-back systems based on the opponent, and they've done so without missing a beat. Head coach Rhian Wilkinson filled big shoes upon Mark Parsons' exit and Wilkinson - a former Thorns defender and Canadian international - has her team operating with the flexibility to interchange players and systems.
Most impressive about the Thorns is the dominance and continuity they have maintained despite major changes and off-field concerns.
Sophia Smith's 11 goals keep her firmly in the Golden Boot race, now one off the pace of San Diego's Alex Morgan. That goal difference is driven by their 36 goals scored, seven more than the next highest-scoring team, Houston. The Portland Thorns' 28 points have them level with San Diego Wave FC and the Houston Dash atop the NWSL table, but the Thorns have a vastly superior goal difference and, crucially, two games in hand on both challengers. It's the Thorns' Shield to lose, again Current NWSL standings Realistically, eight teams are fighting for the six postseason berths, although there remains one wild card among the bottom teams due to the NWSL's persistent scheduling problems.
Remarkably, the Orlando Pride are also hanging around in the playoff race as September approaches despite some horrendous results in the spring coinciding with new head coach Amanda Cromwell being placed on administrative leave after allegations of retaliation (an issue that remains unresolved). The six teams in the playoff positions right now are separated by only five points, and one point below that red line sits expansion club Angel City FC, with a game in hand on the teams immediately above.
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